AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – Four Maine companies are bidding for a new liquor contract with the state.
All Maine Spirits, LLC and Pine State Trading submitted bids by Thursday’s deadline for warehousing and distributing. Pine State Trading also submitted a bid for spirits trade marketing, along with CDM Communications, Dirigo Spirit Co.

The proposals are confidential until awards are made.

Maine is seeking a better deal than the current 10-year agreement with Maine Beverage Company which Gov. Paul LePage says costs Maine millions in lost revenue.

The new liquor contract also allows the state to pay back its hospitals $490 million in Medicaid expenses. The hospitals were paid in September after the state sold a $220 liquor revenue bond. That bond will be paid back with the revenue generated from the new liquor contract.